GH4 and deleted stuff.

[Bo Skelmose]

I have a strange thing with my GH4 and my SD card. Every day I get home I copy the folder with video and pictures to my computer. Then I delete all the files on the SD card. Cannot be seen by my computer. Next day I record some new stuff on the SD card - and when I get home all the deleted files are back ? OK I know someone will say I shoul format the card every day - but the other way have always worked for me. Maybe GH4 is restoring the deleted files....

[Gary Huff]

Are you formatting in-camera?

[Bruce Foreman]

Bo,

It is generally not recommended that you "delete" files from the card either in the computer or in the camera. All "deleting" does is to change the first two characters of the filename in the file allocation table. The files themselves are still there until those sectors are reused and the files overwritten.

Formatting the card in camera does a better job however Panasonic cameras only do a quick format which only zeroes out the file allocation table and restores the folder structure. Again the files are still there but with the entire file allocation table zeroed out there is less likelihood of the files reappearing.

Some folks, and I am one of those, prefer to periodically do a low level format (not a camera format option) in the computer. On a PC this is easy, right click on the media card (while it is in the reader), select format, and uncheck the box marked "quick format".

The low level format takes longer, overwrites everything and "cleans off" the card entirely. Then I reformat in camera and it's ready to go.

If you do the low level format in a MAC you have to use a special utility (I don't know which one, I use a PC).

[Bo Skelmose]

Thanks for answers.
If I delete the folder containing the pictures and movies - they dont show up again :)
If I have time for it I format the card again in the camera.

[Noa Put]

I have some weird stuff going on with a 64gb card from Kingston I got, it says sda3 on the card and has a 90/80mbs read write speed, The last 2 weddings went with no issues or lock up of the camera and I get 1 hour and 25 minutes of 100mbs 4K on the card.

Only when I went to check the amount of data on that card there is only 49Gb used and 10GB free which the gh4 refuses to use as it says that the card is full. I have formatted the card in camera so not sure why it doesn't use the full card, anyone else noticed something like this?

[Bruce Foreman]

Originally Posted by Bo Skelmose

Thanks for answers.
If I delete the folder containing the pictures and movies - they dont show up again :)
If I have time for it I format the card again in the camera.

Make time.

By deleting the folder you are still leaving the data from the individual files lying "in chunks" on the media card.

Granted the "quick" format offered by Panasonic cameras does pretty much the same thing as deleting and re-installing the folders, but over time that "clutter" on the card WILL get you.